Crossing signal



Nov. 4 1924- W. H. HILLHOUSE CROSSING SIGNAL Filed April 7, 1924 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 gwwnto'a Nov. 4 1924. Y Y 1,513.814

- w. H. HILLHOUSE CROSSING SiGNAL Filed April '7, 1924 2 Shoots-Sheet. 2

Snow vio a M I m- Chimney,

Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES WADE H. HILLHOUSE, OF LEBANON, GEORGIA.

CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application filed April 7, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADE H. HILLHoUsE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lebanon, in the county of Cherokee and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Crossing Signal, of which the following is a specification.

'This invention relates to a crossing signal structure especially adapted to be used at intersections of a road or highway with a railway track for automatically displaying a signal as a train approaches the crossing. and it consists in the novel features herein after described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character stated which is automatic in its operation and adapted to be actuated by an approaching train to display the signal and to return the signal to its normal position after the train has made the crossing.

With the above object in view, the structure includes a post which is mounted adjacent the intersection of a road and railway track and which carries at its upper end an arm which is disposed over the road. A bar is pivotally mounted upon the upper portion of the post and carries at its longer end portion a pivoted signal member which is adapted to hang approximately in a vertical position when the arm is lowered and which is disposed by the said arm in a substantially horizontal position when the bar is raised. The bar is fixed to a shaft which is journaled in the post and a ratchet wheel is mounted upon said shaft. A springpressed pawl engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel to hold the bar in its raised or lowered position. A lever is fixed to the shaft and is operatively connected with a pivoted trip mechanism having an end portion disposed at the side of one of the rails of the track. A lever is pivoted upon the post and is en gageable with the pawl to move the same out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. A'last mentioned lever is operatively connected with a trip mechanism having an end portion located adjacent the track rail. One end of the lever which is mounted upon the shaft is connected by means of a cable with a trip mechanism having an end portion disposed adjacent the track rail, and the last mentioned trip mechanism is located at the opposite side of the roadway from the first mentioned trip mechanism.

Serial No. 704,781.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the crossing signal showing the relative positions of the parts when the bar is in an elevated position.

Figure :2 is a top plan view of the crossing signal.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the crossing signal showing the bar thereof-in lowered position.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a signal member used in the signal structure.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of the signal structure cut on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of an electric circuit, a signal lamp and circuit closer which may be used in conjunction with the signal structure.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the roadway is indicated at 1 and the railway track at 2. The said roadway and track intersect each other at grade in a usual manner. The signal structure includes a post 3 which is erected adjacent the point of intersection between the road and track. A fixed arm 4- is carried at the upper end of the post 3 and is disposed above the intermediate portion of the road 1. A shaft 5 is journaled for rotation in the upper portion of the post 3 and a bar 6 is fixed to the said shaft. A spring 7 is connected at one end with the shorter end portion of the bar 6 and at its other end with the intermediate portion of the post 3. Said spring 7 is under tension with a tendency to normally hold the longer end portion of the bar 6 toward the arm 4 as shown in Figure 1.. A ratchet wheel 8 is fixed to the shaft 5 and a pawl 9 is pivoted upon the post 3. A spring 10 is connected at one end with the pawl 9 and at its other end with the post 3 and is under tension with a tendency to hold the engaging end of the pawl 9 toward the teeth of the ratchet wheel 8. A lever 11 is fixed at a point between its ends to the shaft 5 and a wire or cable 12 is connected with the lower end of the lever 9. The intermediate portion of the wire or cable 12 is trained through the upper ends of supporting posts 13, a shaft 14 is journaled for turning movement adjacent the track and is disposed transversely with relation to the rails thereof when at the side of the track. An arm 15 is fixed to the shaft 14 and one end of the c le or Wire 12 is connected with said arm A -ms 25 are. carried by the shaft 2% and disposed adjacent the outer surfaces of the per end of the lever 11.

said figure.

15. An arm 16 is also fixed to the shaft 1d. and is provided witha curved free end portion 17 which is disposed adjacent one of the rails of the track 2 and which carries a journaled roller 13.

.A shoe 17 is carried by the pilot of the locomotive which moves on the track 2 or may be carried by any other piece of rolling stock. A signal member 18 is pivotally mounted at the free end of the bar 6. The member .18 is in the form of a plate having at its upper edge curls 19 which loosely surround the end portion of the bar 6. The signal member 18 is provided portion 20 which is located. between the curls 19 and which is curved longitudinally. A lever 21 is pivoted upon the upper portion oi the post 3 and when swung is adapted to en the lower portion of the pawl 9. A wire or cable 22 is connected at its upper end with the outer end of the level 91 and is con nected at its lower end with an arm 23 mounted upon a sha-tt 2-1 which is disposed transversely of the rails of the track 2.

rails of the track 2. The arms 25 are similar in structure to the arms 16 hereinbetore described. The arms 16 and one of the arms 25 "are located in the path of movement of the shoe it as the locomotive or car passes over the crossing or aproaches the same. A shaft 26 is iournaled for turning movement at the opposite side of the road itrom the shafts 2 1 and 141 hereinbeiore described. An arm 27 is carried by the shatt 26. .51 cable or wire '28 is connected at one end with the arm 27 and connected at its other end with the up- The intermediate portion of the wire or cable 28 is trained through the upper ends of supporting posts 19 and the said wire or cable 28 is trained through an eye 30 mounted upon the upper end of the arm 1.

Assuming that the parts are in the 'posi* tion as shown in Figure 1 ot the drawings and a train is approaching the crossing in the direction indicated by the arrow in the The shoe 17' strikes the upper end of the arm'16 and rides over the roller 18 whereby the free end portion of the arm 16 is depressed and the shaft 14 is turned, thus swinging the arm 15. This moves the wire or cable 12longitudinally. wherebythe lever 11 is swung and the shait 5 is turned.

This lowers the inner end of the bar 6 to the OSllllOD shown in Figure 3 and the signal member 18 will swing from a substantially 'horizontalposition as shown in Figure 1 to the-vertical position as shown in Figure 3 and will be disposed above the intermediate portionot the road 1. Therefore, the trafic upon the road lwhich is approaching the crossing is warned of the approach of a train over the railway track. l/Vhen the shaift 5 is which is carried by thestem 35. 37 is under tension w1th a tendencyto 'norofthe drawings,

turned as above indicated, the wheel 3 is turnedwith t and the pawl 9 under the marm 23 swung and the cable or wire 22 is moved ion tudinally and the lever .21 is swung so that its lower end ikes the lower portion of the pawl 9 and swings the same against the tension of the spring 10 so that. its upper end dlsengages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 8. The tension of the spring 7 then comes into play and the aim 6 is swung to the elevated position shown in Figure 1. In doing so the longitudinally curved stem 20 of the signal member-'18 rides along the lower edge of the arm rand thesaid signal member is swung from the vertical position shown in Figure 3 to the substantially horiaontal position as shown in-Figure 1. Thus the signal is raised and lowered as the train passes over the crossing. Should the train be approaching the crossing in the direction opposite from that indicated by the arrow in Tigure 1, the shoe 17 willstrike the arm mounted upon the shaft 26 and the cable 23 will be moved longitudinally whereby the lever 11 is swung and the bar 6 is moved "from an elevated to a lowered position. After the train passes over the crossing the shoe 1'? strikes oneoii the arms 2?. upon the shaft 24% and'thus the cable 22 is moved longitudinally as hereinbet'ore described and the engaging end of the pawl 9 is'moved'out of engagement with the teeth whereby the bar 6 may swing from a lowered to an elevated position as herein'betore described. i

In order that the movement of the bar 6 may be observed at night, an electrically illuminated signal is mounted thereon. The

said signal includes a lamp 31 connected'in open circuit with a battery 32 which is carried by the bar 6. The circuit Wires are indicated at 33 and 'the circuit over the said Wires is normally opened. The .wires connect with spaced terminals 3st which are also carried by the bar 6. Astem 35 is movably mounted between the terminals 34': and carries ahead 36 which may engage both of the said terminals and bridge the space between'thus completing the circuit from the battery 32rto thelam p 31. A spring 37 is interposed between a fixed part mounted upon the arm 6 and bears against a collar 38 The spring the terminals 34 and the electric circuit from the generator 32 to the lamp 31 is interrupttil.)

ed. As soon as the bar 36 swings in a downward direction, the tension of the spring 37 comes into play whereby the head 36 is moved in contact with the terminals 34 thus completing the circuit from the battery 32 to the lamp 31. Therefore the lamp 31 is illuminated and a visible signal is exhibited at night to indicate that the arm is lowered and that a train is approaching.

It will be noted that the within described signal is capable of extensive use and is at the same time inexpensive, simple in construction, economic to operate and easy to regulate.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in this description or shown in the drawing should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is in-. tended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A crossing signal comprising a post having an angularly disposed arm, a shaft journaled therein, a bar fixed to the shaft, a trip operated mechanism for turning the shaft, means for holding the shaft when turned, a trip operated mechanism for releasing the shaft, means for returning the shaft and a signal member carried by the bar and engageable with the arm and adapted to be swung from a horizontal to a vertical position as the arm is raised and lowered.

2. A crossing signal comprising a post, an arm carried by the post, a bar pivoted upon the post, means for raising and lowering the bars, a signal member pivoted upon the bar and having a longitudinally curved shank portion adapted to engage the lower edge of the arm whereby the said signal member is swung from a horizontal to a vertical position as the bar is raised and lowered.

3. A crossing signal comprising a post having an angularly disposed arm, a bar pivoted thereon, means for swinging the bar, a signal member pivotally mounted upon the bar and having a longitudinally curved shank adapted to engage the lower edge of the arm whereby the signal member is swung from a horizontal to a vertical posi tion as the bar is raised and lowered, an electric illuminated signal carried by the bar and means carried by the bar for closing the circuit to the illuminated signal when the bar is lowered the parts being so arranged that the circuit closer will encounter the arm when the bar is raised and interrupt the circuit to the electric signal.

In testimonywhereof I itffiX my signature.

WADE H. HILLHOUSE. 

